A recent report has cast doubt on the reliability of the Washington DC police's gang-tracking database, alleging that the system is fundamentally flawed and that the agency engages in covert surveillance of residents.
The report asserts that residents are monitored through the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department's (MPD) clandestine Gang Tracking and Analysis System. It further alleges that the system is "fundamentally unreliable" and that the MPD's methods for adding individuals to the database fall short of the minimum requirements.
Carlos Andino, the report's lead author, disclosed to WTOP that the database operates on a mere six criteria, none of which are based on criminal activity. Instead, the criteria are association-based. "If you are observed associating with somebody who the police already have on their DC Gang Database, you too, can be placed on it," Andino explained.
One of the criteria, the report reveals, is simply being "observed associating with gang members." The report criticizes the system's reliability, citing the MPD's failure to update individual information "[d]espite clear federal guidance on validation for keeping the database current.
The report also reveals that over 400 MPD employees have access to the database and are permitted to "share data with outside entities." Furthermore, the MPD can share personal information from the database with external entities on an "ad hoc" basis. Among the organizations that have received shared data are the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the United States Department of Justice, and the United States Attorneys Office.
"MPD does not require these users to specify the reason they are searching on behalf of or providing information to an outside entity," the report notes.
The report also highlights that minorities are disproportionately represented in the database, which tracks over 1,900 individuals in the DC area.
In response to the allegations, DC Police Chief Pamela Smith defended the database, stating, Arguments, disputes, and retaliation drive homicides and shootings in the District of Columbia. Maintaining an awareness of the affiliations of the people likely to be involved in violence either as perpetrators or victims is a critical part of reducing crime in our city."
Smith further justified the database as an investigative tool, stating, "The identification of gangs, and the validation of specific individuals as gang members, are pivotal to supporting our criminal justice ecosystem and safeguarding our communities."
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